At a time when Seattle’s one-time running back of the future is trying to become the team’s workhorse of the present, last year’s new kid in town could soon be ready to stake his claim to become the top option for the post-Beastmode Seahawks.
Thomas Rawls, an undrafted rookie a year ago, is working his way back from a broken ankle. He’s healthy; the challenge now is to get him ready so that he can properly compete with Christine Michael
“He’s over it and he’s healed, now it’s just dealing with the workload,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Sunday. “We’re going to work him really hard the next couple weeks to make sure that he is ready and that he’ll have made up time that he wasn’t able to get earlier and he’s all for it and cranking and ready to go.”
If all goes well, Rawls will be on track to play when the season opens with a visit from the Dolphins.
“He looks really good and I think the signs are very positive that he’s going to be ready in a couple weeks to play,” Carroll said. “Right now we just want to see him come back day after day and keep battling, really digging in like he does and competing like he does, just to show that he’s all right. He’s doing everything right so we’re really happy with him.”
Meanwhile, Rawls is trying to put the broken ankle behind him.
“It’s in the back of my mind but I try to cancel it out and just play free,” Rawls told reporters. “My ankle is strong, a lot of mobility back in it. When I’m out there its full go, its full tilt so I don’t really think about it too much.”
The Seahawks may have to think a lot about who will be getting the reps at tailback, if both Rawls and Michael are ready to perform at a high level.
